Bubble tower



May 13, 1952 F. J. KERRIGAN BUBBLE TOWER 4 Sheets-Sheet l Fil ed Oct. 27. 1948 a we May 13, 1952 F. J. KERRIGAN BUBBLE TOWER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 27. 1948 .I III lllllllilllllil lilllllllililfllllll May 13, 1952 F. J. KERRIGAN BUBBLE TOWER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 27. 1948 O ll O I v I I A I I v v v I fl Faww QK an,

uifiomeg Patented Ma 13,1952

UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE t I 1.59

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in bubble towers or fractionators which are gastight shells equipped with trays and having various pipe connections arranged in accordance with the particular process to be carried out.

Such bubble towers require bubble caps to be mounted on the trays and the bubble cap construction used in accordance with this invention may follow my prior Patent No. 2,320,822, granted June 1, 1943. g It is an object of my invention to make the trays and tray supports in sections that may be passed through the usual bubble tower manhole opening.

It is further an object of my invention to proyide means for clamping the tray sections together by employing the posts or studs which mount the bubble caps. thereby eliminating the necessity of using other special fasteners.

It is further an object-of my invention to use a plurality of hold-down straps around the bubble tower to clamp the trays, the straps being mounted for easy removal to replace the trays.

It is still further an object of my invention to provide means for clamping a. plurality of bubble caps in position by straps fastened to the studs which mount the bubble caps.

Further objects and advantages of my improvements will be more readily apparent from the followin description of preferred embodifments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a bubble cap assemb y;

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the bubble cap assembly taken on the plane indicated 2-2 in Fi ure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the plane indicated 3-3 in section 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view of 'a modified construction for mounting bubble caps;

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on the plane indicated 5-4 in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken on the plane 6-8 in Figure 5 a v Figure 7 is a horizontal section taken through a bubble tower and showing the tray sections and bubble cap mountings;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the plane indicated 8-8 in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a horizontal section taken through the bubble tower similar to Figure 7 but showing a modified construction;

Figure '10 is a fragmentary section taken on the plane |0--lli in Figure 9;

'2 Figure 11 is an enlarged side elevation of a bubble cap assembly showing the tray sections in vertical section;

Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 11 but showing a modified construction; a

Figure 13 is a broken vertical section taken through the tray sections and showing the straps for clamping the trays to the bubble tower; Figure 14 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane Il-ll in Figure 7;

Figure 15 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane "-4! in Figure 9; and

Figure 16 is a fragmentary plan view showing a modified strap construction for clamping a plurality of bubblecap assemblies.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate the mounting of the bubble cap similar to that covered by Patent No. 2,320,822. The plate III has a circular opening to receive the cylindrical riser l2 which is inserted from the bottom of the plate and the riser l 2 has a lip or collar H to engage the bottom .of the plate around the circular opening. The

riser I2 is held in position by the collar It which is turned to engage a lug on the riser. The collar I6 is forced upwardly with respect to the plate by the studs it which are threaded through the collar i6 and engage the top surface of the plate. The bubble cap 20 is mounted over the riseron the studs.

Figure 3 illustrates the manner in which the keys 22 on the collar it are free to slide vertically downward in the slots formed on the outer wall of the riser l2 whereupon the collar It may be turned to engage the keys beneath the lugs 24 on the riser. In this form of construction the riser is inserted from the bottom of the plate and the collar and bubble cap are assembled from above the plate.

Figures 4. 5 and 6 illustrate a modified construction in which the mounting of the riser and the bubble cap may be carried out from above the plate. In this construction, the plate Ill has an elliptical opening 26, the riser 28 is cylindrical and at its bottom has an elliptical flange 30 which will engage beneath the bottom of the plate when the riser is inserted from the top and then turned The dimensions are so designed that the riser may be tilted to slip the flange 30 beneath the plate and then the riser may be turned 90. In its final position the flange 30 will close the opening 26 in the plate.

I The riser has the lugs 32 into which are threaded the studs {8 and the cap 20 is same manner as in Figure 2.

Figures 7 and 8 show a bubble tower construcmounted in the vertical tion in which the cylindrical bubble tower I is theends of the plates 42 and 44 rest. The tray ,cotter pins as in Figure 1.

section 02 may be reinforced by the ribs it while the tray section 44 is reinforced by the ribs 52. The sectional plate 40 has a vertical battle it which forms the inlet weir. The downcomer I! may be either permanently attached to the bubble tower as shown or removably attached by bolting to the tower. The downcomer has a shelf I! to support the tray section 42 and also has a extension I! toform the overflow weir.

- The bubble cap assemblies may be mounted "on the plate, as shown in Figures 1. 2 and 3.-

or as in Figures 4, 5 and 6. Separate sealing plates 50 and Stare used to cover the joints between the plate sections. The tray sections are held in place against the shelf 48 as'shown.

in Figure 14. A number of pin bolts 60 are provided secured by nuts 02 to the shelf 48. The pin-boits 60 provide-mountings for the holddown bars 04. down bars 84 receive the compression screws 06 which bear against the plate sections 42 and 64 are connected to the bolt pins 60 by the horizontal pins 68 which are retained in position by cotter pins 10. In order to remove the trays,

' it is only necessary to remove the cotter pins 10 and knock out each of'the pins 08. This enables quick removal of the trays together with the bubble cap assemblies. The tray sections are notched as at II to fit aroundthe pin bolts 80.

Figure 11 shows the mounting of the bubble cap assembly in the bubble tower of Figure 7. The bubble cap is mounted at the joint between the plates 42 and H, the Joint being covered by the sealing plate 56. In thisconstruction mounted beneath .the plates as in Figure 12.

A bubble tower construction of this character is disclosed in Figures 9 and 10 in which the plate sections l4, l6 and 18 are mounted as shown in Figures 10 and on a shelf support 80 welded to the tower 40. The Joints between the plate sections are reinforced by the channelshaped angle .bars 12 and the bubble cap assemblies are mounted as shown in Figure 12.

In order to quickly remove the bubble cap covers. a plurality of caps 20 may be held down by a strap 82 which has the T-shaped heads as at its ends. The T-heads are fastened to the As shown in Figure 13, the hold- 44 and against the sealing plate 58. The bars 4 studs II by cotter pins or intermediate caps are held down on the'studs by the strap and do not need to be fastened by Iclaim: U 1. In a bubble tower, a mountingflange extending around the inside of the tower, a bubble tray composed of a plurality of sectional pistes seated onsaid flange, a plurality 'of mounting posts on said flange, said sectional plates being freely removable from the bubble tower and means for holding the sectional plates into position comprising hold-down straps removably connected to the mounting posts, each of, said straps having a plurality of compressionscrews to hold said plates down against said flange.

'2. In a bubble tower, a shelf fined to the inside wall of the tower, a plurality of plates to form a bubble tray resting on said shelf. a plurality of hold-down straps removably secured at their ends to the shelf, each of said straps having a plurality ofscrews bearing against the top side of said plates to hold said plates against said shelf, and a plurality of bubble cap assemblies mounted on and removable with each of said plates. I

3. In a bubble tower. a plate having an ellipticai opening therein, a cylindrical riser. mounted in' the opening, said riser having an elliptical flange at the lower end to seal the opening in the plate so that the flange may be pushed through the opening and-the riser turned to a position where the flange obstructs the opening, a pair of studs threaded to the riser bearing against the plate to hold the riser in obstructing position and a bubble cap mounted over the upper end of the riser.

4. In a bubble tower, a plate having an elliptical opening, a riser adapted to be assembled in the elliptical opening of the plate in the top side of the plate, said riser having an eccentric I elliptical flange in its lower end whereby the flange may be slipped through the opening in the plate by tilting the riser. the flange. being designed to seal the opening in the plate when .the riser is turned to its seated position and "means engaging the top of the plate to force the riser upwardly. I FRANK J. KERRIGAN.

. REFERENCES crrEn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Glitsch Jan. 11, 1944 other fastenings The 

